Legally, all you need for a wedding is a visit to the county clerk’s office, and whatever else your local government requires. (Check here.) Everything else is optional. Of course, some things are more optional than others.

Putting together a guest list for a wedding is more stressful than it needs to be, especially when you’ve got plenty of other stuff to worry about—like the budget. Here are seven types of people you can keep off the guest list for your big day, guilt-free.

A well-planned party has enough drinks to keep everyone buzzin’, but not so much that you’re left with a ton to drink by yourself. If you’re supplying the booze, this formula can help you gauge how much you need.

If you routinely plan events, you may find that SignUpGenius can help make the execution of your plans easier. Using the webapp's 5-step wizard you can create a variety of electronic sign-up sheets that you can email to potential attendees.

Hosting a Halloween party? You don't have to go to Guitar Center and drop fifty bucks on a fog machine; if you're on a budget, you can cobble together a good-enough fog machine using a large candle, an aluminum pie plate, a soda bottle top, a gallon of distilled water, and a small bottle of glycerin.

Everyone likes to have friends over now and again, but if you want them to come over around dinner time, they'll probably want to eat. Here are some quick tips on how to throw a party, have fun, but not break the bank entertaining your guests.